1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to furniture and a method for constructing furniture and, more particularly, to a chair and a method for constructing a chair from a single sheet of generally rigid material.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of furniture design and construction, the manufacturer is faced with the dilemma of whether to produce attractive and fashionable furniture or furniture that is simple and inexpensive to construct. Quite often, these two design constraints are mutually exclusive. In other words, it is common for furniture that is relatively simple in design and construction to be less than pleasing aesthetically. On the other hand, furniture that is widely recognized for its uniqueness and beauty is often difficult and expensive to manufacture.
The common chair is a good example of a piece of furniture that appears deceptively simple to manufacture. The chair serves the relatively simple function of providing an elevated platform on which to sit with a backrest for additional comfort.
However, construction of the chair commonly involves the use of numerous sophisticated power tools, as well as skilled craftsman to operate them. For example, in the construction of an ordinary chair, an expensive, high-quality lathe is commonly required to produce the legs of the chair, as well as any spindles appearing in the backrest of the chair. Additionally, expensive band saws or equally sophisticated industrial equipment are commonly used to cut the intricate curved surfaces associated with the seat and backrest. Moreover, once the actual construction of the common chair is complete, the finishing process requires considerable time and attention from skilled artisans to ensure that the final product is satisfactory.
It should be appreciated that as the chair design becomes more complex, the number of parts required for assembly increases, the difficulty of assembling the parts increases, and the reliability and life expectancy of the chair decreases. Clearly, the greater the number of parts and steps necessary to assemble the parts, the greater the likelihood that one of these parts will fail or one of the steps will be inadequately performed.
Accordingly, the present chair and method for assembling the chair are directed to overcoming one or more of the above-identified problems.